Public-Sector Sick Leave To Be Halved Under New Ruling

300,000 staff in the public service will effectively have their sick leave arrangements halved, under the terms of a Labour Court ruling issued today.

Public servants are currently entitled to six months of sick leave on full pay followed by six months on half pay within any period of four years when a doctor certifies the leave.

Under the new Labour Court recommendation however certified sick leave will be reduced to three months' full pay followed by three months' half pay followed by "temporary rehabilitation pay" for a maximum period of two years in total. This rehabilitation period will include the three months' full and three months' half pay.

Uncertified sick leave will also be cut from seven days in any 12-month period to seven days in any two-year period.

The arrangements will introduce a new critical illness provision, which the court recommends be provided for six months on full pay and six months on half pay.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said recently that the State’s bill of more than €500 million per year for sick leave in the public service was unsustainable.

The Minister had put forward proposals for reforming sick leave arrangements several months ago. However trade unions objected to the plans, and the issue ultimately went to the Labour Court for a binding ruling.

Mr Howlin today welcomed the Labour Court recommendation and said it would “pave the way for the introduction of a completely reformed new sick leave scheme for the public service”.

In a statement today Mr Howlin said: “Reformed sick leave arrangements in public service will result in increased productivity, reductions in absenteeism and a significant reduction in the cost of sick leave in the public service.

“For most employees in the public service the new arrangements will mean that the amount of paid sick leave which they may be granted will be halved. It is essential that we strike a balance so that those who are genuinely and seriously very ill should be given reasonable protection by their employer, and so for that reason I proposed the introduction of a critical illness provision.”

(H/GK)